Betta always around the filter

[broncosfan84]

Anyone have any idea why my male HM betta won't leave the filter. He tore his fins in the intake (now have a sponge around it) and is always behind where the water flows out.

[ZergyMonster]

Behind the filter is usually the least amount of flow. I believe that your betta just doesn't like the amount of flow throughout the rest of the tank.

[broncosfan84]

I think I'm going to get a sponge filter this payday. He is so beautiful. I hate to see his fins messed up. Here is a pic of him before the tearing.

[broncosfan84]

Could the tank be too big? It's a 20 long.

[ZackyBear]

Wow he is a beauty :3 You could try baffling the filter and see if that helps~

[broncosfan84]

How do I do that?

[ZackyBear]

Hrm....for a 20 gallon I really don't know. For my whisper filter in my 1.5 gal I just cut a ring out of a soda bottle and wrapped it around the filter where the water comes out.

Oh!! I found some posts that might be able to give you an idea~

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread....=filter+baffle

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread....=filter+baffle

[brad himself]

The instructions above are great, save for the slight possibility of a fish swimming into the bottle. You will have to keep the water level lower than the baffle, or find something to obstruct the entrances into the baffle. I use floating plants and place them inside the baffle so my betta cannot swim into it. It also works as a secondary baffle, and my betta loves me for it.

For example:





You can also buy a small foam pad/sponge to place in front of your current filter cartridge to reduce the speed of the water flowing out of the filter. You may have to cram it in there, but it won't hurt anything. I actually just threw away my cartridge and use a large sponge filter I cut into halves as my cartridge. It's a bigger surface area for beneficial bacteria and it also reduces the flow.



So I essentially have three baffles: a "replacement" filter cartridge, a bottle wrapped around the outflow, and live plants inside the baffle to keep fishies out.

[broncosfan84]

Thank you ZackyBear and brad himself... Hope this helps.